


Puppy Eyes

by a_taller_tale



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Bonding, Dogs, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 14:11:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9610913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_taller_tale/pseuds/a_taller_tale
Summary: Agent Washington awkwardly attempts to bond with Junior.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saintash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintash/gifts).



Civilian life took some getting used to, which was why Washington was staying with Tucker in the first place. Caboose had his sisters and his family on the moon to go back to. Wash didn’t really have anyone left, which felt strangely embarrassing to admit, even though it should have just been plain fact. 

Living with Tucker on earth was not that different from living with Tucker any other place. He’d been living with Tucker for years. It’s just now they were in an apartment and they could go to the store whenever they wanted so they always had food in the house, and they didn’t have Caboose, so there weren’t as many unexplained small fires. Wash missed Caboose a little. 

Another major difference was that they lived with an alien now.  


Well, the alien was Tucker’s son, Junior. Junior went to school with other human children and had a part time job as an Earth and Sangheili ambassador. Like any other 10 year old kid. 

Wash was a little hesitant around Junior and after a few weeks Tucker had noticed. It wasn’t that he disliked Junior, he just… wasn’t very good with kids? 

“Bullshit, you’re not good with kids,” Tucker said, while Wash did the dishes after Junior was tucked into his Spiderman bedsheets. “You handled Caboose like a pro for years.” 

“That was different.” 

“It’s not, though. Listen, I gotta go to this job interview tomorrow, you guys should hang out. Junior’s awesome and you’re not _that_ horrible. Just take him to the movies or something.” 

Wash thought it might be rude to speculate whether or not Junior would fit into the theater seats comfortably and wisely kept his mouth shut. 

It _was_ for the best that they got along. He should really make more of an effort. 

The next day, his day with Junior began. Junior was fine. A little quiet. And Wash wasn’t having a bad time. But well, it was a little strange when the five foot tall alien wanted to hold your hand crossing the crosswalk. 

“So, Tucker said you wanted to go to the park this morning?” 

Junior honked cheerfully in the affirmative and so they went. 

Junior was a very happy child, and even though he didn’t look like Tucker on the outside, he reminded Wash of when he first met Tucker. He was excitable and, although Wash didn’t understand much Sangheili, talkative once he warmed up to Wash. 

Hopefully, Junior wouldn’t develop his father’s dirty mind for a few more years. His teachers had already scolded him for saying “ _Bow-chicka-honk-honk_ ” at inappropriate times. 

Unfortunately, the playground equipment was not built around the shape and weight of a Sangheili child. While the jungle gym held up fairly well to Junior’s enthusiastic play, the swing snapped underneath him after just a few swings. Most people in the neighborhood were familiar with Junior, and friendly enough, but the parents in the vicinity today frowned disapprovingly. 

Wash wondered what basketball was like, since Junior played with the other kids in his grade. But Junior was always very gentle with Tucker, even when he was angry or upset. Maybe he just forgot to account for his weight here. 

Junior didn’t move from his butt where he landed, surrounded by the remains of the swing. 

“Maybe the park wasn’t such a great idea today,” Wash said. “We could go to the movies.” 

Making no move to get up, Junior shook his head. 

“We could play basketball. There’s a hoop over there.” 

Junior shook his head again slightly, his mandibles trembling. 

Oh god. He wasn’t crying, was he? Wash only spent an hour with Tucker’s son and he was already crying. 

“Wait. Don’t—” Wash knelt next to Junior in the soft foam under the swing set and gingerly put a hand on his armored back. “Please, don’t cry. We can do whatever you want.” 

With a honk that Wash later reflected probably meant “ _no take backs!_ ” Junior leapt up and ran away. 

Wash sprinted to catch up. If he lost Junior, Tucker would never forgive him. 

Junior stopped at the dog park, which happened to be next door to the children’s park. There were four or five dogs playing off of leashes with their owners in the fenced in area. 

“Uh, Junior I think this is for the dogs. We don’t have one.” 

Junior sighed and _rolled his eyes._ He picked up a Pomeranian, whose owner was on their phone on a bench nearby. The Pom seemed quite happy in Junior’s arms and licked his fingers. 

Dog in tow, Junior came back to Wash with a toothy grin and looked ready to walk right out of the park with it. 

“Junior, put him down. We are not going to steal someone’s dog.”  
  
Wash was learning to get a good read on Junior’s expressions by now and the alien boy was pouting. The dog, sensing his distress, started growling at Wash. 

…Great. 

Junior let the dog down with a last ruffle of its’ poofy fur, then fully turned to face his temporary guardian. Wash barely had time to steel himself before the full force of Lavernius Tucker, Jr.’s alien puppy-dog eyes were upon him.  
  
They were so powerful that Wash had no memory of the rest of their afternoon. From going to the animal shelter where he let Junior pick any dog he wanted, to signing off on the adoption papers, and going to the pet store to get everything “Honk” needed for a happy dog life and days hanging out at the dog park. No recollection at all of taking two shopping carts worth of goods back to their apartment. 

Wash wasn’t even a dog person. 

“What the fuck, dude?” Tucker asked when he got home from his interview and the half-grown mutt tried to bowl him over. 

Junior beamed at both of them from the floor and threw Honk’s squeaky bone for him. The pup let Tucker go and scrambled after it, crashing into the cabinets in the kitchen. 

“Uh, you have a dog now,” Wash said, averting his eyes. 

“I think you mean _you_ have a dog now, Wash. Junior totally played you! You got the dog, you’re stuck here taking care of it.” Tucker didn’t seem angry, he was laughing, but the way he said it, Wash knew he wasn’t getting out of this. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ashley St. Lawrence prompted "We are not going to steal someone’s dog.” + “Please, don’t cry.”
> 
> [Wash at the pet store!](http://ashleystlawrence.tumblr.com/post/156919171526/69-and-62-junior-and-wash)


End file.
